


Crown of defeat

by okrableach



Series: History Is Written by the Victors [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Royalty, Dancer Lance (Voltron), Forbidden Love, Galra Keith (Voltron), M/M, Mutual Pining, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Prince Keith (Voltron), Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:00:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27561910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/okrableach/pseuds/okrableach
Summary: Keith wonders how they reached this point. Outside of this room, Keith has all the power in the world yet in these sheets, he’s completely under the dancer’s mercy.That thought sparks an idea in him. A stupid, crazy, and quite frankly scary idea but Keith always gives in to his impulses so he reaches out to his discarded crown and places it on top of Lance’s head. He takes a moment to stare right into Lance’s eyes before he says; ”Fuck me, your Majesty.”
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: History Is Written by the Victors [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2014726
Comments: 5
Kudos: 101





	Crown of defeat

**Author's Note:**

> *shoves unnecessary worldbuilding at you* take this 
> 
> please read part 1 before reading this!

People only talk about how difficult ending a war is, but never how difficult it is to patch up an entire kingdom. The months after the Galra defeat pass by in a haste. Days turn into weeks where Keith and his parents run around the kingdom trying to sew things together by healing the wounded people and landmarks. Everyday Keith feels like he has seen the worst of it and every time he’s wrong in making that assumption. It all looks the same wherever they go. Broken arms, pulled limbs, and starving people fill the streets. 

It drives him crazy, knowing how long the Galra had power over his people. Seeing the way his kingdom suffered under their hands leaves Keith in a rut like no other before. He feels useless even if his efforts do help. Hopelessness clouds his mind. Every part of his soul wishes that the suffering could come to an end. His mother tells him to be patient so he tries. 

In due time, the agony evaporates. Eventually, they manage to rebuild the broken homes, fix every pothole in the kingdom, and jumpstart bankrupt businesses. It’s good and honest work. The light that disappeared from their lives slowly but surely returns and Keith couldn’t feel prouder. He has a fighter’s heart and mind, but handing over warm bread to an orphan on the street fulfills him more than any won battle ever could.

The work keeps him busy, that’s for sure. He barely has any time to uphold his normal routine, let alone now that there are a thousand other things shoved onto his plate. He doesn’t dare to complain since this is what they’ve been working for but recent events shifted his perspective ever so slightly. 

Selfishly, all he wants to do is visit the neighboring kingdom of Altea. There’s never an opportunity to do so since he’s chained to his duties but that doesn’t stop him from dreaming. Every passing moment gets spent on reimagining warm and loving hands on his body, lips tracing his skin, and moans filling the air around him. To say that it motivates him would be an understatement. 

He made a promise to Lance that night in the leftwing tower. ” _Look for me and bring me to you_ ”, Lance had said against his lips, all earnest and trusting. It’s a promise Keith holds very dear. He tries his best to get closer to fulfilling it but prior to the ball he has never shown interest in visiting Altea and to start fretting about it now would be suspicious. Still, those closest to him such as Shiro pick up on his (what he wants to imagine) subtle hints about visiting the kingdom. Unlike the other guards and knights, Shiro is the only one that dares to talk to him about his personal life. 

“If looks could kill, that paper would’ve been burned by now.” 

Keith drops the pen in his hand forcefully and starts glaring at his most trusted royal knight as if he had anything to do with his frustration. The unsigned treaties in front of him become forgotten as he lets out an irritated groan. “I’ve been trying to reason with the Galra empire for months now but they don’t even bother to read what I have to say. All I get is my letters sent back, unopened.” 

Shiro nods from his place at the entrance. This information isn’t new to him since Keith very pointedly reminds him of his frustration with the Galra repeatedly throughout their sparring sessions. “You need to get your minds off of things.” 

“Don’t be silly, I got things to do,” Keith scoffs. 

Shiro dares to chuckle under his breath. “Diplomatic relations are important to uphold. The Galra can wait for now. Visiting the neighboring kingdoms are just as important as fighting wars and signing treaties. How else can we maintain peace around the continent?” 

“You know I’m not the greatest at diplomatic meetings, right? Need I remind you of what happened on Arus? I almost got banned from ever stepping a foot onto their land again after I accidentally insulted their king.” 

“That’s true, your Highness. It did take the King to personally apologize before they forgave you,” Shiro grins, as this is one of his fondest memories of Keith. “Rumor has it that the Altean princess admires you a lot, though. She specifically asked for you to visit her to discuss some plans for future operations. How about paying Altea a visit? Not everything has to turn out like Arus.” 

“Altea?” Keith perks up, stomach now curling around for different reasons. A flashback of pink, kiss-bruised lips pops up in his brain. He pushes it away for his own sanity’s sake. 

“It’s the perfect opportunity, your Highness. Your schedule is empty this weekend, as far as I know. See it as a good way to practice your diplomatic skills. A nice change of scenery too to inspire you.” 

* * *

The trip to Altea happens the day after the discussion takes place. After clearing up his schedule, Keith fastens his saddle on Red, his horse, and takes off into the woods. The Altean castle is only a couple of hours away if he skips all the usual breaks and eats while Red takes the lead. He trusts her to handle on her own for a moment or two, and he carries the same trust for Black, Shiro’s mare. The woods are safe these days, which is why Keith only brought along Shiro and nobody else. It would be too excessive to bring an entire escort for a small meeting. 

The sun is low in the sky when they take off, leaving their kingdom draped in a golden sheen. Stillness fills the air as the world is still too tired to wake up from her slumber. It helps to calm the nerves that have been building up steadily inside of Keith for the past twenty-four hours. He has no real reason to feel nervous but he has imagined this trip more times than he can count and nothing would break him more than something going horribly wrong. For example, what if he gallops all the way there, just to find out Lance is on a trip somewhere else? He knows now (due to excessive and very private research) that the Royal Altean dance crew often travels the continent to show their artform. Or, worst-case scenario; what if Lance found someone during that time and decided that Keith just wasn’t cutting it for him. 

Alteans are beautiful in an otherworldly way. Keith has heard rumors that the portrayals of angels in their religious books were inspired by Altean kings and queens. It wouldn’t surprise him, which is why it also wouldn’t surprise him if he faced Lance and found out that he had gone ahead and fallen in love with some Altean beauty. 

_Lance wouldn’t do that_ , his mind supplies. They both made a promise and never was it one-sided. Clearly, he made Lance feel something as well during those regrettably short but life-changing hours. Otherwise, why tell him to come and find him? 

”You’re thinking too loud,” Shiro breaks the silence an hour into their journey. The sky has now turned from golden red to pastel yellow. It’s almost the daytime. ”Stop worrying.” 

Keith never told him about what happened with Lance, but he must’ve put two and two together when he found Keith half-naked in the leftwing tower with longing in his eyes that very night. They never mentioned Altea or the dancer specifically, but Shiro always managed to tease him about it in one way or another. ”I can’t help it. You saw him.” 

Shiro hums, loud enough that the bird's chipper doesn’t disguise it. ”What I saw was how he looked at you during the performance and I’m telling you to stop worrying. You know Keith, I’ve never seen you act this way about anyone before.”

Overlooking the lack of formality in his words, Keith simply urges his horse to go faster by squeezing his legs tightly. They bypassed the need for that before Keith even learned how to read. Around others, it was a matter of upholding tradition but they became as close and informal as two pub pals in private. He wonders how the press would react if they ever found out the things those two have been up to during the midnight hours. 

”Nobody was worth it,” Keith finally answers when he finds the words. ”Nobody is worth it. Not like him.” 

* * *

Keith was twelve years old when he first got to visit Altea. That morning, his father announced that he was old enough to be engaging in politics and would be sitting in the ‘adult-table’ with him and king Alfor. At that time, this was the greatest thing that could’ve ever happened to him. Finally, his father saw him for his potential instead of a child caught up in war. It was also at this meeting Keith realized how much he hates politics.

Arriving in Altea at that time was very spectacular. He remembers marveling over the flat juniberry fields that stretch further than the eye can see. Back in Marmora, the mountains covered everything surrounding them. He remembers how colorful everything seemed. Altea was also caught in the war, perhaps even more so than Marmora, but their shine never dimmed down. Older and much wiser now, Keith believes it was all an act to protect their citizens. At least it worked, at that time. 

Altea isn’t much different than Keith remembers it. It’s far less bright than his imagination painted, but the juniberries are still recognizable from a mile away. They sway in the breeze almost as if they’re dancing to a nonexistent harmony. Consciously, Keith urges Red to slow down so he can absorb it all. He allows himself to bask in the heat of the high sun and smell the heavenly smell of the sweet flower. Sweetness can sometimes be too overbearing for him, but this flower contains the perfect amount. It almost makes me feel lighter just smelling it. No wonder this unassuming flower is the largest pride Alteans carry. 

“So, our schedule looks like this: we arrive and get a tour of the gardens while the food is being set up. Then, dinner should be served which you will be having with their royal highnesses. After that, I believe princess Allura scheduled a meeting with you,” Shiro informs, voice as professional as it always sounds when he’s doing his job. The reason he’s bringing up their schedule must be because the castle is now in view.

The castle is the juxtaposition of the one he calls his home. His castle back home is a reflection of the atmosphere surrounding it; high and proud like a mountain with grey stones and grand pillars. It almost melted into the scenery, if you blink you might miss it. The castle in Altea is far different. Here, it’s the only thing rising up to the sky as far as he can tell. It’s a clear contrast between the pink and purple colored flowers and the sleek white castle. Instead of stone, it’s built by some material Keith still hasn’t gotten around to figure out. All he knows is that it shines and it’s neat. 

As they get closer, Keith spots three guards by the entrance waiting to greet them. There’s no drawbridge separating them from the entrance, so Keith and Shiro gallop until the men stand in front of them. 

“Welcome, your Highness. We are honored and humbled to have you visiting our kingdom,” one of the guards says, bowing. Keith can tell from the pins on his suit that he’s one of the higher ranking knights, similar to Shiro. After they exchange pleasantries, the guard asks; “May I please escort your mare to the stables?” 

Keith jumps off his (now exhausted) mare. He pats her crest and mumbles some praise only for her to hear. She did incredibly hard work, maybe he could sneak in some crunchy apples for her later tonight. Deciding on it, he offers the guard closest to him the lead and whispers a promise against her muzzle. 

After the horses are taken care of, Shiro and he get escorted to the main hall where king Alfor and princess Allura are waiting for them. They look regal as ever, with a spotless suit and gown. If Keith cared about these things he would feel somewhat guilty for looking and smelling the way he currently does. Let’s just say it’s not very majestic.

“Ah! Welcome, Prince Keith. We are delighted to have you here, my boy,” king Alfor exclaims, eyes wide and bright. He drops his hand on Keith’s shoulder and Keith welcomes the touch. It’s both welcoming and reassuring, making him remember his grandfather for a haste moment. “How was the trip?” 

“The trip was pleasant, thank you for asking. You have a beautiful kingdom, your Highness.” 

King Alfor laughs loudly. He throws his head back and lets his delight echo around the grand hall. “You are very kind, my boy. Follow me to the veranda, I’d love to show you my gardens.”

  
  
  


The tour passes by in a blur. Unexpectedly, the garden is absolutely breathtaking. Unlike the wildflowers out there in the open, this garden is calculated down to every single water drop. It shows because the flowers here are much brighter, proving that Keith’s memory was right all along. King Alfor is happy just showing Keith and Shiro around, but it’s princess Allura that rambles on about the flowers and the different hybrids of it. She’s kind and passionate, Keith recognizes as the tour progresses. 

He’s doing his best to focus on being polite and listening to every word spoken to him, but his mind starts to wander before he gets a chance to stop it. By this point, they have already reached the end of the tour and are now on their way to the dining room. Lance is somewhere inside these walls. _Does he know I’m here?_ , Keith wonders. He probably does, it seems like important information every worker in the castle has to know. 

His thoughts get interrupted only when they reach the dining room. Like everything else in the castle, it’s grand, clean, and white. The only thing inside the room is a large dining table with over twenty seats pushed into it. King Alfor has a bounce in his steps as he makes his way to the head of the table, and takes a seat right in front of the laid out food. A servant shows Keith his way to his seat, which is the one on the left side of King Alfor. 

The food tastes phenomenal. Being in the position that he’s in has left him eating food most people couldn’t dream about. He’s grateful for it, don’t get him wrong, but a bite of whatever dish is on his plate makes him rethink all his favorite food. “This is delicious,” he says, careful not to speak with food in his mouth. 

“I’m glad you enjoy our traditional cuisine, my boy. It’s made by our beloved Ms. Mcclain. How about you pass on the compliments yourself?” 

Two things happen. First, King Alfor mentions for someone to step forward into the room by waving his hand. Into the room comes a short woman with long and brown wavy hair and chef attire. She bows in front of them, and as she rises up the second thing happens. Instead of a thing, it’s really more of a realization. 

That’s surely, and undoubtedly, Lance’s mother. 

“Your Highness,” she steadily speaks, voice not wavering once. She must be used to speak to royalty since Lance did mention that they have been living here for a good amount of time. Speaking of Lance, Keith takes his time to study her. Unlike Lance, her skin is lighter, hard labor showing through the wrinkles on her face. The only thing that’s identical about them is the piercing blue eyes. 

“You are very talented, Ms. Mcclain. Thank you for the delicious food.” Keith cringes at the awkwardness in his voice and hopes nobody is able to pick it up. He avoids having direct contact with her in fear of everybody hearing the thrumming in his chest and pretends that he’s interested in the greenery on his plate.

Thankfully, nobody notices. She bows, smiles brightly, and thanks him before disappearing from the room. The dinner continues on in the same fashion, but Keith's stuck on the fact that he met Lance’s mother before he even got a sight of the man himself.

* * *

Keith has spoken to Princess Allura a handful of times in his life. Circumstances never gave them a chance to grow a strong bond, but Keith knows that this will have to become a priority in due time. They are both the future leaders of their respective kingdoms, leaders that will hopefully maintain the newfound freedom in a new generation. Keith wants to see children grow up in a world where war isn’t looming around every corner and he’s sure that Allura feels the same. 

They still have yet to know each other on a personal level, but what he does know about Allura is that she’s much more into the diplomatic side of politics than he is. He often hears about her many successful endeavors to their neighbors. It’s not shocking to hear about the way people admire her professionalism. Yet sitting in a small office with her and sharing drinks shows Keith how laid back she can also be. Her hair is now falling down her shoulders gracefully, instead of the usual updo Keith always sees her with. She has even changed her royal gown into a less flashy evening gown. He reasons that this must be a private sight, for he has never heard or seen her look this way before. 

”Are you enjoying Altea, Keith?” Allura asks. She leans back on her chair and smiles at him. 

He’s had this question directed at him several times today, so he reaches out for the most professional yet appreciative answer he can muster without sounding too bored with the small talk. ”Of course. Altea is a wonderful kingdom.” 

“It is, isn’t it?” Allura sighs, her smile slowly turning droopy. The glass in her hand is now empty, so she places it on the table and starts tracing the rim of it subconsciously. “We’ve been working just as hard as you do to rebuild everything the Galra destroyed here. People are hopeful, though. I haven’t seen our people look so relaxed in such a long time… Or ever for that matter. They’re eager to transform everything back to the way it was.” 

“I’m glad to hear that.” 

They sit in silence, both processing their similar yet vastly different situations. It’s odd, Keith never considered how much they share in common until this moment right here. Before he voices any of his thoughts, Allura continues. “We have you to thank for, don’t we?” 

Keith’s face must look equally as taken back as he sounds. “What do you mean?” 

“You were one of the few leaders that never gave up. Most of us accepted defeat long ago, some more than others. Yet, for some reason, you never did. I’ve been wondering why that is.”

He wonders if he should give her a short and generic answer, or the honest truth. A large part of him convinces him that he can trust Allura, mostly because they’re the only two people in their kingdoms sharing the same fate and experiences. Two sides of the same coin, one might say. Still, he feels the need to lock the deepest reasons away because that’s just who he is. “I was kidnapped when I was young. Stolen from the carriage my parents were traveling in. I was still young, maybe four or five years old so I don’t remember much. Maybe it's my brain trying to cope.” He chuckles dryly. “What I can remember is that it was the Galra. One of their generals were following us until he saw the perfect moment to abduct me. I was in their possession as a bargaining tool for two horrible weeks. I suppose as I grew older I realized that the Galra just took what they wanted without no repercussions and that hardly seemed fair.” 

”Keith… that’s horrible,” Allura shudders, eyes turning sad. Then, they shift into something else. Something completely different. “I can see why he likes you so much. You truly are admirable.” 

The blood coursing through Keith’s body freezes. He opens his mouth, closes it, and opens it again only for nothing to come out. Vaguely, he registers how stupid he must look. But that’s the last thing that’s on Keith’s mind, instead are hope and longing the two dominant emotions. Still, he can’t act too irrationally. A lot of people like him. He’s a generally liked guy, at least in Marmora, so Allura could practically mean anyone. His voice sounds uncertain when he asks; “Who?” 

Allura scoffs loud and borderline offensive. If she wasn’t of royal blood like him, he might’ve taken high offense. “You know who I’m talking about, Prince Keith.” 

Did Lance tell her? He did hint that their relationship extended that between royals and servants but was it close enough for him to kiss and tell? What they did... what they feel is still in every way forbidden, which is why Keith didn’t tell Shiro everything no matter how much he trusts him. So for Lance—that is objectively in a lower rank than him—to confess something like that? He must truly trust her. 

”Does he…” Keith scratches his neck, unsurprised at the heat beneath his fingers. ”Talk about me?” 

If Allura picks up on the tremor in his voice, she doesn’t make a scene by pointing it out. ”As his friend, I don’t think it’s my position to say but you’re smart enough to know that I had to find out from somewhere.” 

Keith nods and decides that he likes Allura. She’s more than meets the eye, and she’s proving it by every word she says. Albeit, she didn’t say much, but it’s enough for hope and excitement to sizzle underneath his skin. All the worry and wonder that had been building up in his psyche disappears as he calculates her words. All he has to do now is face Lance himself. 

* * *

Their meeting runs into the deep hours of the night. After their small talk, they moved on to discuss important matters such as the humanitarian work in the small villages in the shared border of their kingdoms. Keith likes to imagine that the meeting is successful. They come up with multiple ways to effectively assure that the goods reach the citizens as quickly as possible when they put their brains together. There are details yet to perfect, but it’s a solid start. 

When Allura and Keith step out of the room, the once busy corridors are vacant from royals and servants alike. She takes it upon herself to lead him personally to his room, even if there are multiple people that could do the task. Humbly, he accepts and starts walking beside her with long and sure strides. 

As they’re walking, Allura makes sure to point out every room they pass if it’s of importance. They pass by King Alfor’s study, the main library, and the central seating area. Like everything else, the architecture is crystal sharp and white-colored. On the second floor, they pass by a long hallway without stopping once. Just as Keith opens his mouth to question the eerie hallway, the silence gets crushed when the sound of music starts traveling in the air. 

“Music at this hour?” 

Allura grins at him unabashedly. She plays with a strand of her hair as she leads them closer and closer to the source of music. When there’s only one room left in the corridor, she stops and turns towards him. “Our dancers like to get busy this late at night. Some of them have other duties to attend to during the evening.” 

Keith isn’t allowed to brace himself before she swings the doors open, revealing a wide and stretched out dimly lit dance room. The music immediately turns louder since the walls aren’t muffling it anymore. It’s a soft melody, very kind to the ears.

There are several people inside the room. Most of them are young, no older than sixteen. The only person old enough to be awake at this hour stands right in the center of the room, facing the large mirrors covering every inch of the wall. Keith’s heartbeat picks up, childishly. He feels like a whole bag of idiot for the reaction he’s having but he can’t help it when Lance looks so much more alluring than he remembers. _Found you_ , he thinks quietly to himself. 

Lance isn’t facing them, probably too engrossed in moving his body alongside the melody humming around them. His eyes flicker up to the mirror, probably to observe the children copying his movements behind him. At first, he keeps his focus and yells out encouragement until his eyes move to the right. Then, he freezes. “All-“ 

”I brought our guest along. I hope it’s alright,” Allura says with the grace he’s known her to have. All mischief washes away from her facial features and _wow_. She really is a force to reckon with. 

Keith lets her take the lead of the conversation as he stands silently, fiddling with the edge of his coat. All he can do is stare at Lance that stares right back at him. The air in the room feels electric yet freeing at the same time. It reminds Keith of starving and how the last seconds before eating almost feel more euphoric than actually eating because you know that the struggle will soon be over. Their eye contact only breaks when Allura clears her throat. 

“O-of course. Welcome, Your Highness.” Lance motions the children scattered all over the room to greet the company as well, which they do. The children all bow down to them, some even reaching a ninety-degree bow. What a proper bunch they are. Collectively, they exclaim; “Your Highnesses!”

Allura claps her hands in delight, pride radiating from her stance alone. “Show us what you’re working on. I’m sure Prince Keith would be delighted to see.” 

Keith learns that the choreography they’re working is for the New Year’s eve ball Altea hosts every year. The event is a few weeks away, so they haven’t improved every last detail. At least, that’s what Lance informs them as the children get in formation. Keith doubts that it’s lacking since it’s Lance that has created it. 

Turns out he's right. If you ask Keith, he would say that the dance is very much flawless but he doesn’t have a dancer’s eye so he bites his tongue. Besides, he was too busy looking at Lance to notice the finer details of the dance itself. His focus lied instead on the curve of his spine and the bend of his shoulders. 

“You have come so far, I’m proud of you,” Allura beams and leans over to hug some of the children eagerly rushing to her side. She wraps her arms around as many of them as she can, bringing them tightly into her embrace. 

One girl notices Keith standing alone, and tips over to him hesitantly. “Did you enjoy the dance, Prince Keith?” 

“Of course.” He puts on his kindest smile and pats the top of her head awkwardly. There aren’t many children around him on a regular basis and truth be told he doesn’t know how to deal with them. He feels like he might say something wrong and God forbid, they start crying. 

Thankfully, he manages nicely this time around because the girl smiles before her cheeks flush deeply. He hopes it’s in shyness. Then, she’s off to the rest of her friends and he’s left all alone. With that privacy to himself, he lifts his gaze and searches for the one he’s been yearning for, only to be met with nothing. Desperation grows as he hastily runs his gaze all over the room until a voice speaks up behind him. “You are good with kids.” 

Instantly, he’s put at ease. His eyes are still facing the vastness of the room, but procrastinating instead of searching. “I just said of course _,_ that’s hardly being good.” 

“You made Calya smile. That counts way more than you think, your Highness.” 

Keith’s so tired of longing so he turns around and gets greeted by the softest smile he’s ever seen directed at him. He basks in it, allows it to get engraved in his mind before he even considers doing something such as responding. “Lance…” 

“Let’s not have this here, please?” Lance interrupts boldly, voice soft despite the harsh words. He eyes the children and Allura looking at their exchange with interest. “We have a crowd, you see. I’m scared of doing something stupid.” _Like kiss you_ , goes by unsaid.

Keith gets it, so he seals his lips and nods instead. Shifting his focus to the crowd, he notices how some of them look like they want to ask him questions, so being the adult here, he asks them if they want to know anything from him. Questions about Marmora, the mountains, folklore, and even his hair gets thrown at him from all directions. He does his best to answer them all, but he has no clue if the trolls in the mountains like blueberry or raspberry more, so he ignores that one. 

It’s a nice exchange for a change. It’s heartwarming to see children still having innocence and purity attached to them, instead of the harsh claws of the war. He wishes he could see it more often, but sadly the current reality is far from it. Maybe after Allura and his work.

They only leave the room when Lance pushes them out, complaining that they’ve already taken up too much precious practice time by making his students intrigued. Keith knows somewhere in his heart that the reason Lance asked them to leave is because the children are growing tired, and chances are, they wouldn’t leave until Keith left himself. 

* * *

Keith only realizes how tired he is when his back hits the freshly washed sheets in his borrowed suite. As he stretches his legs, they throb in protest. The journey Shiro and he took earlier seems like it was at least a year ago, as so much has happened since. As much as he wants to close his eyes and drift to sleep, he knows he can’t. His heart refuses to give in to his exhaustion. Deciding that it’s better to stand up instead of lie down, he makes his way over to the balcony overlooking the garden. The midnight breeze might just shake him awake. The sweet smell of the juniberry smacks him right in the face as the cold breeze engulfs him. It’s cold to the point where his teeth clatter against each other, but at least it wakes him up properly. 

He’s so deep in thought that he doesn’t notice that someone has joined him on the balcony until two strong arms wrap around his torso. A familiar voice whispers in his ear before he has a chance of pulling away. “You should lock your doors. Imagine if I was an assassin. You’d be dead by now.” 

Shivering at the warm puffs of air hitting his earlobes, Keith places his hands on top of the arms around him and pulls them closer. It’s still so cold and he’s only wearing his undergarments but the whirlwind of emotions inside of him warm him up. “How did you even get in here?” 

Hot lips that belong to no other than Lance meet the skin behind his ears, nibbling at the softness there. “Allura told me which room was yours. I must say, they’re spoiling you. This room is usually saved for kings and queens.”

“Are you saying I don’t deserve such treatment?” Keith scoffs, trying to suppress the moan threatening to spill out of his mouth. “Also, I can’t believe you told her.” 

The soft kisses come to a sharp halt. Lips hover a moment above the moist skin—which feels colder than anything else on his body—before they leave the area altogether. Then, he’s being spun backward until he faces his intruder heads on. Blue, apologetic eyes meet him. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I couldn’t stay missing you on my own and I’d trust Allura with my life. Is that alright?” 

Keith takes a second to study him. His hair is a tad bit longer now than it was in early fall, now barely reaching his shoulders. It still looks soft nonetheless, and Keith knows from experience that it looks the part. His face is missing some freckles, perhaps due to the lack of sun these days. Momentarily, he wonders what his skin looks like in the middle of the summer when the sun is at its brightest. He wants to reach out and to feel the warmth again, but he must confirm something first. “You missed me?” 

Lance doesn’t even consider his question before responding. “Every single day. It drove me insane.” 

“Come here,” Keith says with a slow exhale, fingers itching to touch.

Surprisingly, Lance looks like he’s hesitating. Keith can see the doubt inside his eyes as they travel down his body, taking him in. “You’re tired. Don’t think I didn’t hear about how long you traveled today or all the work you do. You don’t even take a break.” 

“I’m more tired of missing you. I find you everywhere I go; in every word I read and in every sight I see. You are constantly there, yet so far away.” His voice is shaking when he speaks, vulnerability as clear as the moon above them. “So please, come here.” 

Lance walks into his arms, this time around wrapping his own around Keith's neck instead of his torso. Fingertips play with the tips of Keith’s hair lazily as his forehead rests against his. Breathing the same air, they gaze at each other until it becomes too much. Not really sure who leans in first, they end up pressing their lips against each other desperately. Keith squeezes him impossibly closer, the need to feel him all over overtakes his senses. He wants all of him, every last part, to be draped in Lance and Lance only. 

It’s familiar, the way Lance’s lips part in the kiss, slightly panting due to the desperation, yet still so new and exhilarating. They’ve only done this once before but the feel of his muscles underneath Keith’s traveling hands is as engraved in his mind as his own last name. He studies the dips and callouses, both familiar and unfamiliar, as he pushes the cloak Lance was wearing down to the floor. 

“‘’s cold. Let’s go inside,” Lance murmurs, but doesn’t stop licking and sucking on Keith’s bottom lip. His hands are tightly wrapped around him, so Keith has to physically pull himself away to break free from the embrace. 

When Lance shoots him a disappointed look, Keith can’t help but chuckle. “What? You said it’s cold.” 

“I still want to kiss you, though,” Lance pouts, bottom lip already looking pinker and plumper. He’s so cute. Keith cannot believe he was nervous over meeting him again. 

“You can kiss me inside, come on.” Keith grabs his hand and pulls him into the cozy room inside. He locks the balcony behind him, ignoring Lance’s mumble about finally closing doors. 

The only light in the room comes from the fireplace. It’s bright enough that the reflections of the flames dance on Lance’s exposed skin, making it appear as tan as it was when they first met. Keith likes it, thinks that Lance should never leave the kisses of the sun. He reaches out and observes how his pale, cold fingers contrast against the warm skin. He leans in to resume their game, but Lance places his hands on his chest and signs. 

“It scares me; how much I feel for you, Keith,” he begins, voice lower than the crackling of the burning wood behind them. He eyes the crown on top of Keith’s head, which suddenly feels heavier than it actually is. “Sometimes, I believe that it’s purely sexual but then I remember your smile and it’s too much. I don’t think anyone's heart beats this way for someone they only want to fuck.” To prove his point, Lance directs Keith’s hands to the center of his chest, where his heart is beating rapidly. “It scares me because you’re so out of reach. Now, you’re finally here now and it doesn’t matter anymore.” 

Trying to assure him, Keith leans in close, warm breath ghosting across Lance’s face. The last thing he sees is the blue speckles in his eyes before his eyelids drop. He wants his senses to focus on the gentle touches he’s receiving, on Lance’s soft lips that tentatively move against his. Keith is so pliant in his hands as he leads them to the messy sheets of the bed. Turning around, he lays down with Keith hovering over him. 

On the bed, their hands run loose. Pieces of clothing get thrown in multiple directions. In the haze, Keith even thinks they might’ve knocked something down. If he wasn’t so busy licking into Lance’s mouth, he might’ve worried about it. After all, this is the royalty suite.

Their pants fill the room, adding to the scene’s obscenity. Keith has known that Lance is vocal, but the silence of the night enhances the loudness of his gasps and moans. He arches his back when Keith pulls away, clawing at his back to get closer, to be closer. Suddenly, Lance hooks a leg around Keith’s waist and flips them around, making Keith’s back flop down on the soft mattress. The crown on his head falls down on the pillow next to his, long forgotten. 

Keith relishes in the ministrations, loving the way Lance manhandles him so easily. Lust stirs up in the deepest part of his gut, showing by his hardening dick. “A-ah.” 

“You like that?” Lance licks his lips, looks Keith over, and smirks. He leans over and starts sucking and licking on a spot in the juncture between Keith’s neck and shoulders. 

A bruise will paint his skin for days, and frankly, Keith doesn’t give a shit. The roughness drives him absolutely mad with lust. It has him rocking forward, withering and desperate for friction. Swallowing audibly, he struggles to whimper out a soft; “Lance.” 

“Don’t worry, baby. I’m gonna take good care of you. You’ve been so good.” Keith gulps at the pet name, feeling his flush reach all the way down to his toes. Just as he thinks about begging, Lance wraps his hands around his wrists, bringing them together and holding them down above his head. “Don’t move until I tell you to, Your Highness.” 

The respectful title sounds sinful coming from his mouth like it doesn’t belong there. _It doesn’t,_ Keith thinks but he nods anyway. This… this is something he’s been craving deeply for a while yet shied away from. Imagine if the word got out, that the bold and proud crown prince of Marmora gets off of being dominated. What would happen to his reputation? Still, he keeps his hands above his head even when Lance frees them. He relaxes his body against the sheets and takes deep breaths, anticipating what Lance might do next. 

Ensuring that Keith will stay patient, Lance goes back to coaxing every inch of his upper body with kisses and bruises. He leaves no spot abandoned. At this point, Keith’s sure his bottom lip is about to split open by how forceful he’s biting down on it. That doesn’t please Lance, that looks at him with furrowed eyebrows. He brings his thumb to the lip and snaps it free. “Let go, I want to hear you.” 

Lance waits until Keith promises that he won’t cover up his reactions anymore before he grabs hold of Keith’s dick and starts jerking him off leisurely. The drag is a little painful since he’s still dry, but that doesn’t seem to bother Lance one bit. In fact, there’s a sinister flame in his eyes that challenges Keith to beg for mercy. God, Lance is really making him plead, huh? “Lance, could you…” 

Lance snickers. “Hm? Use your words, baby.” 

For a moment, Keith almost drapes his arms above his head just to hide, but he remembers Lance’s stern warning and holds his ground. Flushing, he mumbles. “Slick me up… please.” 

“All you had to do was ask.” The smile on Lance’s lips is way too bright for this hour, almost lighting up the room much better than the fireplace in front of them. He reaches out to one of the nightstands and pulls the drawer open, revealing a summer-scented oil. Keith only notices how worked up Lance is by the tremor in his hands as he tries to open up the bottle. 

The oil sends a chill down his spine when it hits his skin. The slide is much better, making him squirm in enjoyment instead of away from the touch. He wants more than this and he knows Lance wants that as well by the hungry look on his eyes, yet he stays patient, not fully ready to tear his walls down. They proceed like this, Lance’s hand wrapped around his dick pulling at him at an antagonizing pace while Keith gasps out incoherent words.

His thighs tense up as he’s about to climax, chest hovering over the mattress, but dropping down with a loud _thump_ when Lance pulls his hands away. Keith cries out, pride long forgotten. He's so close, so so close. “Not yet, baby.” Lance pecks his lips, almost as if he’s asking for forgiveness for edging him. Keith knows he isn’t. 

“God, please.” Tearing his eyes open, Keith searches for Lance’s own. He hopes they’re showing more than what he can muster up to say. 

Lance soothes him by kissing small shushes on his skin, hands placed on each of Keith’s trembling thighs. They knead the sensitive skin there, tracing an irregular pattern. They don’t move from their position until Keith’s erratic breathing has slowed down to a normal level. “You alright, Keith?” 

“Yes,” Keith bites out, voice cracking embarrassingly. 

This brings a laugh out of Lance. The hot huffs of air hit Keith’s sweat-covered skin, making him shiver at the sensation. He’s still worked up from the almost-orgasm, but he isn’t allowed to move and he’s pretty sure he isn’t allowed to utter his disappointment either. 

His distress doesn’t last for long. Lance shows him mercy by moving his right hand from his thigh to his hole. Without teasing, he slowly pushes the first, slicked up, digit in. Then, it becomes a matter of stretching Keith up as well as possible, all while trying to please him. Since he's already sensitive because of the whole ordeal earlier, it doesn’t take much to make him a moaning mess. 

“Please, please, _please_ ,” repeats like a broken matra in the room. To keep himself from reaching out to Lance, Keith grabs a hold of the pillow underneath his head and squeezes it until it threatens to rip apart in his hands. Like before, he doesn’t give a single fuck about what happens to the room, all he wants is relief which is obtainable by Lance shoving his dick inside of him.

“Shh, baby… be patient,” Lance whispers, fingers still caressing his prostate. Keith wonders how the hell they reached this point, where their real-life roles are switched up to this level. Outside of this room, Keith has all the power in the world yet in these sheets, he’s completely under the dancer’s mercy. 

That thought sparks an idea in him. A stupid, crazy, and quite frankly scary idea but Keith always gives in to his impulses so he reaches out to his discarded crown and places it on top of Lance’s head. He barely has time to admire the silver and crystals on him before Lance stops his movements, eyes growing wider than Keith has ever seen them before. “W-what? What are you doing?” 

Keith takes a moment to stare right into Lance’s eyes before he says; ”Fuck me, your Majesty.” 

“Holy fuck,” Lance moans and crashes his lips against Keith’s, kissing him with more fervor than ever before. It’s wet and filthy to the core and Keith loves it. 

Without wasting a second, Lance replaces his fingers with his dick, pushing in without hesitation. Whatever Keith did with the crown must’ve ignited something inside of him because his movements become wilder instead of calculated. He doesn’t tease and toy with him anymore, opting instead for an intense pace that results in both of them groaning against each other’s lips. 

Lance doesn’t give Keith a second to catch his breath, drilling into him like this is what he was created to do. He orders him to keep his eyes open, to watch Lance with _his_ crown on as he fucks him. Keith doesn’t think he’s ever been this turned on in his life. Every part of him feels like it’s on fire and eventually, the heat pushes him over the edge, sooner rather than later. 

The oversensitivity makes him trash around as Lance continues on fucking into him at the same relentless pace. The crown on top of his brown curls almost tops over, so Keith leans over and fixes it. Screw the rules Lance laid out. That, for some reason, is the thing that tips Lance over the edge as he comes with a low groan that vibrates against Keith’s chest. 

  
  


It takes them a while to wind down and clean up, but when they do, they return back to the king-sized bed that’s waiting for them. Lying in each other’s arms, Keith decides to spark up a conversation. “I met your mom earlier.” 

“She told me,” Lance chuckles softly, hands playing with Keith’s hair. Crazy how just half an hour ago, he was a completely different person. “You made her whole month with that compliment. Definitely mom-approved.” 

Deciding to humor him, Keith laughs as well. “I’m glad she enjoyed it because I almost died on the spot. I was so taken back, seeing her stand there.” 

“How did you know that it was her?” 

Keith looks over his shoulder so he can meet Lance’s curious eyes. “You have the same eyes. Plus, you told me about her, remember?”

“You remember that?” Lance asks, and Keith almost takes offense to the surprise in his voice.

“I remember everything that happened that night. When I told you I couldn’t stop thinking about you I wasn’t lying, you know.” He likes that his voice sounds so sure because he is. Sure of Lance, that is. He’s never felt more certain over anything in his life than his feelings for the man that’s holding him in his arms.

“Keith…” Lance sighs, breaking the spell they’ve created around them. He unwraps his hands and sits up on the bed, making the sheets pool around his thighs. The air around them shifts, turning from lighthearted to heavy. “What I said earlier was true. I feel something for you, but I’m still scared. We’re so different outside this room. How would ‘us’ even work?” 

Keith sits up as well and rests his head on Lance’s naked shoulder. He understands where he’s coming from, hell he’s had these exact thoughts playing in a loop in his head for months now but he can’t let Lance spiral. Not after a night like this one. “Who cares about what happens outside this room? I want you and you want me, isn’t that enough?” 

“That’s easy for you to say. You’re a crown prince. Nothing could touch you. I’m just… I’m a goddamn servant from a foreign kingdom. Don’t you understand? I can’t just put on a crown and go on with my day. Real life doesn’t work like that.” 

Lance makes an attempt at leaving, so Keith wraps his arms around his torso and pulls him close. Determined, he prepositions; “Come with me to Marmora. You don’t have to stay for long but I really want you to join me. The journey can last up to a day if we don’t hurry, which means we’ll get to be together out in the open without anyone's eyes on us. You can decide later what you want and I’ll accept it. Just, please, do this for us.” 

“Your knight’s going to be there,” Lance mutters, eyes meeting Keith hesitantly. It’s not a flat out no, and Keith takes it. 

“I trust Shiro with my life,” Keith assures, using Lance’s earlier words to describe Allura back at him. Furthermore, this is the technical truth since Shiro is his royal knight. It’s his literal occupation to keep Keith and his secrets safe. “What do you say?” 

The sunrise that's waking up the world brightens up the room as it peeks through the curtains, giving Keith a genuine look of Lance's eyes as they push away the last traces of doubt in them.“I guess we are going to Marmora.” 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, i'm serious when i say that the response i get is literally the best thing that happens to me. sometimes i cry, sometimes i grin, most times i'm amazed over how someone can take time out of their day to be nice to me. ilysm!
> 
> so, as you've probably noticed this story is spiraling so there will be a part 3 and it will probably have a lance pov. 
> 
> hope yall are staying safe and well. talk to me on [tumblr](https://okrableach.tumblr.com/) if you want and please let me know what you thought about this part. i'm always interested to hear your opinions!


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